Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, such as a copying machine and a printer, which has a function of forming an image on a recording material such as a sheet.
Description of the Related Art
Some image forming apparatuses, such as a copying machine, a printer and a facsimile, may be provided with a display and operation panel unit including a display unit which instructs an operator on an operating method of a device, such as toner replenishment and removal of a jammed sheet, and an input unit used for performing the operation by the operator.
Since it is not always that the works such as the toner replenishment and the removal of a jammed sheet are performed by those skilled in the work, it is preferable that a worker can perform the work while watching the operation guidance displayed on the display screen.
Further, in recent years, there have been further increased requests, such as realization of miniaturization of products, and satisfactory arrangement of the display and operation panel from the viewpoint of design without projecting from the product, while a display unit that is larger than the related art is provided to improve the usability of the user.
To cope with such requests, in an apparatus having a display and operating unit, JP 2007-30216 discloses the following configuration. It is a configuration which enables an operator to perform the work while watching the image displayed on the display unit, and in which the display and operating unit moves to a position which does not interfere with the work during the work such as the toner replenishment and the removal of a jammed sheet (FIGS. 8A to 8C).
As illustrated in FIG. 8A, an image forming apparatus disclosed in JP 2007-30216 is provided with an upper cover member 201 which opens an inside of the image forming apparatus, a front cover member 202, and a display panel 210 which is attached to the upper cover member 201 to perform the display toward the outside of the image forming apparatus. As illustrated in FIG. 8B, the image forming apparatus is configured so that a display direction of the display panel 210 is substantially maintained, in a state in which the upper cover member 201 opens the inside of the image forming apparatus. This is due to the fact that, as illustrated in FIG. 8C, in conjunction with the opening and closing operation of the upper cover member 201 around a rotary shaft 221, the display panel 210 attached to the upper cover member 201 rotates around a rotary shaft 223. Specifically, in an image forming apparatus of JP 2007-30216, while a liquid crystal display unit displays the instructions to the operator in a state of facing the front of the operator when opening the inside of the image forming apparatus, the cover takes a posture different from the liquid crystal display unit during opening, and takes a posture which opens the front of the image forming apparatus. This makes it possible to provide a sufficient working space for the operator. Further, JP 2007-30216 discloses the provision of the following mechanism so as to reduce the number of operations of the operator. That is a mechanism in which an opening and closing member is made up of two members of an upper cover member 201 having a liquid crystal display unit, and a front cover member 202 not having the liquid crystal display unit, and when one member of them is opened and closed, the other member is opened and closed in conjunction therewith.
In many cases, in the vicinity of the above-described display unit, buttons for operating by being pressed by an operator, and in recent years, a touch panel type display unit has been provided. Therefore, in some cases, the operator may perform the operation when the opening and closing member is in the open state. Even in such a case, the rigidity of the operating unit is required as much as the operator can perform the operation.